PMK urges Centre to consider alternative alignment for SSCP

Chennai, Feb 3: Pattali Makkal Katchi(PMK) founder S Ramadoss today urged the Centre to consider an alternative alignment for the completion of the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP).

Talking to newspersons here, Dr Ramadoss said ''they (Centre) should not be adamant on the issue, when an alternative solution is possible''.

He also urged the Centre for the speedy implementation of the SSCP in an alternative area.

On the issue of the alleged tapping of telephone lines of politicians, the PMK leader said ''it could have been done by senior officials of the Intelligence Department, even without the knowledge of the Chief Minister. Hence a thorough judicial enquiry should be ordered in this regard''.

On the recently concluded Assembly session, which witnessed a war of words between AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa and State Ministers, Dr Ramadoss said, such events would bring disrepute to the dignity and the decorum of the House.

The members should desist from making personal comments and involve themselves only in healthy arguments, he added.

Continuing his attack on the state-run TASMAC shops, Dr Ramadoss, said ''total prohibition should be enforced in the State in a phased manner.

Running TASMAC shops was against the basic ideals of rationalist leader and Dravida Kazhagam(DK) founder Periyar E V Ramasamy and DMK founder C N Annadurai, he added.

UNI